Have you encountered struggles on your entrepreneurial journey? If so, you are not alone. Struggles are a natural part of entrepreneurship. In this episode, I cover the top 7 entrepreneurial struggles I've encountered and how to overcome them.

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Struggle 1: Fear

Entrepreneurs aren't strangers to fear. In fact, fear is a normal part of the entrepreneurial journey. It can be fear of the unknown, fear of failure, and even fear of success.

What separates entrepreneurs is not that they don't experience fear. It's that the move forward in spite of fear.

If you're experiencing fear as you build your business, know that you are not alone. It's normal. In fact, fear can often be a good sign. Use it as a barometer to let you know that you're stepping outside your comfort zone.

Struggle 2: Perfectionism

This is a big one. There are so many entrepreneurs that want things to be perfect before they launch them. Their blog post has to be perfect. Their ebook has to be perfect. Their course has to be perfect.

The problem is that perfection is unattainable. And in many cases, in waiting for perfection, you never take the step of actually launching.

There is a better alternative. Strive for progress, not perfection. This mindset allows you to launch, and then refine over time. It gives you permission to take the next step.

In doing so, you will get feedback. And you can use that feedback to create a better product because you're using actual data.

So stop waiting for perfectionism. Instead, take action and refine over time.

Struggle 3: Not knowing what to do next

Have you ever felt paralyzed because you don't know what to do next? This is a common problem with entrepreneurs. You're stuck where you are.

Here's what I love about this problem – there's always a way for us to figure out the next step. In the world we live in, knowledge is literally at our fingertips.

Go to Google and search for the next step. Find a YouTube video that shows you what to do next. Take a course on the thing you're struggling to figure out. Hire a coach to provide the guidance you need.

Use whatever resources you have available. There are many – both free and paid.

Struggle 4: Being Overwhelmed

With knowledge being right at our fingertips, it's quite easy to be overwhelmed. Information is coming at us left and right. Our inboxes are flooded. Social media is full of content that point in so many different directions.

Here's what I recommend – practice “just-in-time learning”. This is when you learn something right when you need to know it. If you're setting up your blog, you don't need a course on how to negotiate partnerships. That's not relevant right now.

Stick to content that helps you take the next step you need to take. That will reduce your overwhelm significantly and give you a clear path forward.

Struggle 5: Shiny Object Syndrome

We live in a very interesting time. There are so many new social platforms coming on the scene. Each social platform is also releasing new features that we feel the need to use.

There's also new equipment being rolled out that can help us create better videos. You just bought a new camera and the next model comes out the week after.

With all these new things comes FOMO. We feel like we need to get the next shiny object or we won't be able to accomplish XYZ.

But here's the reality. It's not about the next big thing. You don't need the latest and greatest technology to have an impact or to build your business. You just need something that works.

There are many examples of entrepreneurs who became successful using what was at their disposal. Those limitations can actually result in creativity.

Embrace your limitations and start creating.

Struggle 6: Not focusing on your main thing

One of the things I've noticed with bloggers (and many other entrepreneurs) is that they try to do too much. All the “gurus” have all kinds of opinions about what you MUST do. You try to do it all.

You're on every social platform trying to have an impact. You try to create every kind of content. And in trying to do it all, you end up spreading yourself thin.

I recommend doing the exact opposite. Instead of trying to be everywhere and do everything, figure out what your main thing is. What is the thing you can do where you can have the biggest impact?

Figure that out and focus the bulk of your energy on it. By focusing on less, you will accomplish more.

Struggle 7: Activity without strategy

You want to grow your business, so you keep yourself busy. You're doing a lot of things. You're creating content and promoting it on social media. But there's no overall strategy.

So while you're being active, you're not being productive. Your business is not growing. The solution – get a strategy. Take a course that will help you develop a strategy.

Or even better, get yourself a coach who can help you come up with a strategy.

If you're looking for a coach who can help you refine your strategy for growing your business, let's have a conversation. I work with a few high-performing clients to help them to achieve more.

If you'd like to find out more, contact me.

Infographic

Infographic: The Top 7 Entrepreneurial Struggles and How to Overcome Them